In a press release issued on 23 February, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the newest restrictive measures put in place by several European countries risk violating European Union law and undermine efforts for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to deal with the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe.

On 17 February, Austria announced it would place a daily limit of 3,200 on people entering its territory and only accept 80 new asylum applications per day. Slovenia announced a similar cap to restrict movements across its borders.

In addition, on 18 February, the heads of police services of Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia announced an agreement to jointly profile and register refugees and asylum-seekers at the border between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, as well as taking a number of additional actions to manage the situation.

“While coordinated action can help the management of the mixed migration movement, the statement has been interpreted differently by countries, resulting in increased protection risks for refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly those with specific needs, such as unaccompanied and separated children,” the UNHCR noted in its statement.

The risks include lack of proper registration in line with EU and international standards, the selection of people on the basis of nationality and other criteria rather than protection needs, and the heightened likelihood of pushbacks and people being stranded in the open.

Such practices also undermine the conclusions reached by the European Council last week, recalling that to enter the EU without adequate travel documentation, people need to apply for asylum when reaching an EU country, said the UNHCR.   Read more here